Summary: A new research study indicates that shrinkage of the hippocampus in the brain is linked to declining cognitive function, independent of amyloid-beta plaques – a key marker of Alzheimer’s disease.
The study suggests that cognitive decline is associated with neurodegenerative diseases other than Alzheimer’s. The research, which involved 128 participants monitored over seven years, had brain scans to measure amyloid plaques, tau tangles, and hippocampal volume.
The findings reveal that hippocampal atrophy significantly contributes to cognitive deterioration, irrespective of traditional Alzheimer’s biomarkers, highlighting the complexity of dementia.
Key Facts:
- Hippocampus shrinkage was linked to cognitive decline, regardless of amyloid and tau levels in the brain.
- The study involved 128 individuals, with extensive brain imaging and yearly cognitive assessments over an average of seven years.
- This research underscores the role of factors beyond Alzheimer’s pathology in cognitive impairment, emphasizing the need for broader diagnostic approaches.
Source: ANN
The Study: New Research on Neurodegenerative Disorders
A recent study, published in the November 15, 2023, online issue of Neurology, suggests that hippocampal shrinkage is associated with cognitive decline, even in individuals without amyloid plaques in the brain. The hippocampus, responsible for memory, plays a crucial role.
Study author Bernard J. Hanseeuw, MD, PhD, of Harvard Medical School in Boston, stated, “These results suggest that neurodegenerative diseases other than Alzheimer’s are contributing to this decline, and measuring the hippocampal volume may help us evaluate these causes that are currently difficult to measure.”
“This could help us better predict who would respond to these new drugs as well as people’s trajectories of cognitive decline.”
The study, involving 128 initially cognitively normal individuals with an average age of 72, utilized various brain scans to measure the amount of amyloid plaques, tau tangles, and the volume of the hippocampus over the course of seven years, along with cognitive evaluations.
Results indicated that faster hippocampal shrinkage corresponded to quicker cognitive decline, and regardless of amyloid and tau levels, hippocampus atrophy was linked to cognitive deterioration, accounting for 10% of the observed difference in cognitive decline.
“These results emphasize that dementia is a complex condition with many underlying causes and suggest that types of dementia other than Alzheimer’s disease may contribute to shrinkage in the hippocampus and cognitive decline,” Hanseeuw said.
A limitation of the study was that most participants were highly educated and white individuals, implying the results may not be universally applicable.
Funding: The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Belgian Fund for Scientific Research, Welbio, and Queen Elizabeth Medical Foundation.
About This Neurology Research News
Author: Renee Tessman
Source: ANN
Contact: Renee Tessman – ANN
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: The findings will appear in Neurology
